Appeal withdrawn against rejection of 550-home plans for Ingleby Barwick

An appeal against the rejection of a 550-home development on green wedge land in Ingleby Barwick has been withdrawn.

The controversial plans for the development on an 80-acre site, next to Thornaby Road and the new Free School site, were thrown out by Stockton Council last April.

A public inquiry was due to be heard on February 10 at Stockton’s Baptist Tabernacle after the developers appealed the rejection.

But the appeal has been withdrawn after Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Environment, last week refused permission for another neighbouring 550-home development.

Steve Barker, planning consultant for the landowner Ian Snowdon, said the Secretary of State’s decision “has caused much debate and confusion”.

He added: “We understand that there is a significant possibility of his decision being challenged in the High Court and until that process has been run through, there is no scope at this time for Mr Snowdon’s appeal to progress.

“We will await the outcome of any legal challenge and consider where we go from there.

“If the homes aren’t built here, they will have to be built elsewhere in the borough and I don’t think many people will be pleased if yet another Yarm scheme comes forward instead.”

Hundreds of people signed an online petition against the Thornaby Road plans and 21 letters of objection were lodged.

Concerns had included loss of greenfield site; shortage of school places particularly at primary level; that Ingleby Barwick does not need more housing and the impact on wildlife.

Commenting on the appeal withdrawal Stockton South MP James Wharton said: “Finally developers are getting the message. We do not want any more building on our green sites, too many are already planned and enough is enough.”

Councillor Bob Cook, leader of Stockton Council, said: “That another unnecessary development in Ingleby Barwick is in doubt is welcome news and the reasons given by the applicant only serve to reinforce what have said about the confusion that exists in the national planning system.

“However, the applicant’s claim that the homes will have to be built elsewhere in the borough if they are not built here is absolute nonsense. All planning applications are considered on their own individual merits and just because homes aren’t built in one area it doesn’t mean they will be built in another.”

Last week Eric Pickles disagreed with the planning inspector’s recommendation in ruling an adjacent 550-home development near Little Maltby Farm in Ingleby Barwick will not go ahead.

The plans were taken to appeal by developers Jersey-based Tiviot Way after being unanimously rejected by Stockton Council’s planning committee last year.